Fluid valves, including pneumatic and hydraulic valves, are used in a variety of situations. In some circumstances, multiple valves are employed in a relatively close proximity. Although each valve could be connected to an individual pressurized fluid conduit, it is sometimes necessary to connect multiple valves to a single fluid conduit. For convenience and efficiency, multiple fluid valves are sometimes connected together as valve assemblies/islands, such as the valve island 100 shown in FIG. 1. The valve island 100 includes a plurality of fluid valves 101, which are connected to a manifold block 102. Typically, the fluid valves 101 are manufactured independently from the manifold block 102 and are generally not designed with the manifold block 102 in mind. Therefore, the fluid valves 101 are usually designed as individual valves and the manifold block 102 is designed to accommodate the valves originally utilized. Therefore, the manifold block 102 can typically only align valves according to a single configuration.
The manifold block 102 comprises fluid ports 103 that communicate fluid to the valves 101. Therefore, the manifold block 102 allows multiple valves 101 to operate using a single pressurized fluid conduit (not shown). Although the valve island 100 can increase the efficiency of a system by providing a single fluid conduit, as shown, the valves 101 are aligned in a substantially straight configuration due to the rigid design as described above. One reason for the limited configuration is that although shown as comprising similar valve designs, the various valves 101 may be designed with different interfaces, which prevents alternative configurations once designed. The manifold block 102 does not allow the valves 101 to be arranged in multiple configurations as may be required if different valves are desired or the valve island is coupled to a different set of components.
Although the arrangement described above may be adequate in certain situations, it may be desired or even necessary to arrange the plurality of valves 101 in alternative configurations. The prior art valve island 100 does not permit such an arrangement. Rather, prior art valve islands, such as the prior art valve island 100 are generally limited to substantially linear configurations. Restricting the valve island 100 to a linear configuration may require the remainder of the system to be modified to accommodate the valve island 100. Such a modification can often be expensive and impractical because the system components utilizing the valve island 100 are typically pre-arranged. Therefore, where the system cannot be modified to accept a linear valve island, the valve island 100 may have to be substituted with multiple valves having individual fluid conduits. Such an arrangement is inefficient and requires excessive pressurized fluid and pressurized fluid lines.
The present invention solves this and other problems and an advance in the art is achieved. The present invention provides a modular valve assembly capable of arranging a plurality of modular valves in multiple configurations. Therefore, the present invention can be modified to adapt to the remainder of the system rather than requiring the components that connect to the valve assembly to be reconfigured. Furthermore, by utilizing modular valves, the valves can be rearranged without requiring a new manifold block as required by the prior art.
Aspects
According to an aspect of the invention, a modular valve assembly comprises:                a first valve assembly plate;        a second valve assembly plate; and        one or more modular valves positioned between the first valve assembly plate and the second valve assembly plate;        wherein the first valve assembly plate and the second valve assembly plate are adapted to align the one or modular valves in one or more configurations.        
Preferably, the modular valve assembly further comprises a plurality of valve retainers adapted to retain first and second portions of the modular valves.
Preferably, the one or more modular valves comprise valve actuators extending through the first valve assembly plate and adapted to actuate the one or more modular valves.
Preferably, the modular valve assembly further comprises one or more actuator plates coupled to the first valve assembly plate and adapted to communicate with the valve actuators.
Preferably, the one or more modular valves comprise a first modular valve configuration and at least a second modular valve configuration.
Preferably, the modular valve assembly further comprises a fluid distribution system formed in the second valve assembly plate and adapted to communicate fluid to the one or more modular valves.
Preferably, the one or more modular valves further comprise retaining members adapted to engage a portion of the first or second valve assembly plates to retain the modular valves.
Preferably, the modular valve assembly further comprises a retaining arm formed in the first valve assembly plate adapted to engage a retaining aperture formed in the second valve assembly plate.
According to another aspect of the invention, a modular valve assembly comprises:                one or more modular valves; and        a first valve assembly plate adapted to receive the one or more modular valves and align the one or more modular valves in one or more configurations.        
Preferably, the modular valve assembly further comprises at least a second valve assembly plate, wherein the one or more modular valves are positioned between the first valve assembly plate and the second valve assembly plate.
Preferably, the modular valve assembly further comprises a retaining arm formed in the first valve assembly plate adapted to engage a retaining aperture formed in the second valve assembly plate.
Preferably, the first valve assembly plate comprises a plurality of valve retainers adapted to receive first and second portions of the modular valves.
Preferably, the one or more modular valves comprise valve actuators extending through the first valve assembly plate and adapted to actuate the one or more modular valves.
Preferably, the modular valve assembly further comprises one or more actuator plates coupled to the first valve assembly plate and adapted to communicate with the valve actuators.
Preferably, the one or more modular valves comprise a first modular valve configuration and at least a second modular valve configuration.
Preferably, the modular valve assembly further comprises a fluid distribution system formed in the second valve assembly plate and adapted to communicate fluid to the one or more modular valves.
Preferably, the one or more modular valves further comprise one or more retaining members adapted to engage a portion of the first valve assembly plate to retain the modular valves.